


What Makes a Team Great

by Shedoras



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Feelings and stuff, it's happy. it's soft. it's emotional development and realization. nice.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-15 04:53:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15405405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shedoras/pseuds/Shedoras
Summary: A rare night off at the beach leads to an enlightening conversation between Adam and Lance.





	What Makes a Team Great

If there’s one thing worse than being stuck in the middle of a 10,000-year-old intergalactic war, it’s being stuck in the middle of a 10,000-year-old intergalactic war at home.

For every day Lance spent separated from his family, he had imagined reuniting with them at the end of the war a thousand times over and a thousand times again. Sure, there were those moments when horrible fears crept in, when he considered what he thought to be the worst case scenario: dying out there, in the cold cruel expanse of space, alone. Given their general state of affairs and his self-sacrificial tendencies, Lance knew that this supposed worst case scenario was more likely than he would care to admit. But he always worked to push those morbid thoughts away in favor of picturing his mother’s warm embrace upon his triumphant return from saving the universe.

But there was a third option, one so bitter and painful and far from what he wanted, that it never even crossed Lance’s mind until it became his reality: returning to Earth and bringing the war with him. But it couldn’t just be a “worse than worst case scenario” level of bad. Of course, it had to plunge even further, scraping the very bottom of the barrel and coming up with “worse than worse than worst case scenario” levels of bad.

Because Lance and the rest of Voltron didn’t just bring the war Galra to Earth. Oh no, the war outpaced them and met Earth head-on, with team Voltron unable to do anything more than watch helplessly as they crawled across the universe towards home.

They seemed to still have some dregs left in their store of luck, however, as they managed to cross paths some stray rebels only a short time into their journey. After confirming that Voltron was, in fact, not dead, the Voltron Alliance immediately began mustering what help they could. Some squadrons in a galaxy nearer Earth were sent ahead to start preparing them for the inevitable Galra attack, while the Olkari began shipping materials that could bolster their defenses and the Balmerans coaxed as much crystal as they could afford from their home.

All in all, by the time Voltron reached Earth, barely able to even fly, much less put up a fight, their home had already survived a few preliminary incursions from the Galra. Their arrival signaled a brief respite from any attacks; Intel indicated that the Galra had regrouped to plan their next move, now that Earth had Voltron. This intel held up, as they had been home for nearly a month now without so much as a solitary drone passing through their system.

That didn’t mean their time home so far had been anywhere close to happy; in fact, even calling it bittersweet may be a bit of an overstatement. In a few short months, the Earth at large had gone from being blissfully unaware of the existence of alien life to being smack dab in the middle of an alien war. The Garrison, for all its shady dealings in the past, had played a large part in getting the rest of the world up to speed. Already aware of the existence of aliens, they were able to smooth things over internationally as suddenly humans were working alongside a seemingly endless multitude of strange species to defend their home.

All this meant that, after landing, the members of Voltron were able to jump straight into the war effort. Thanks to the likes of Sam Holt and the Voltron Alliance, humanity was more or less filled in on their story. This meant Lance was able to spend his few brief moments with his family merely enjoying their presence, not having to explain where he’d been during the year and a half they’d spent thinking he was dead.

When he wasn’t squeezing in a video call or a quick unsanctioned flight to Cuba, Lance spent his days propelling Earth 10,000 years into the future in as little time as possible. After all, if they had any hope of surviving the war, they had to at least try to catch up to the superior technology of the Galra.

He attended endless strategic meetings with the Alliance, preparing for every horrible possibility becoming a reality. He acted as a diplomat, an official liaison between Earth and the rest of the universe, which meant everything from consulting with world governments to giving endless interviews with the media. He ran practice drills with rebel fighters and helped train Earth pilots, a good handful of which happened to be his old classmates. He moved cargo to and from building sites with his lion and escorted supplies along their newly formed trade routes.

Any single one of these tasks could have been someone’s full-time job, and if not for the past two years of dealing with insurmountable pressure, Lance is sure he would have given out by now. He had always taken his role as universal defender seriously, but the stakes suddenly seemed that much more dire now that he played that role for his home. Yet, while being more stressed than ever before, Lance also began to shine.

He didn’t have the technological talents of Hunk or Pidge, but he understood enough to act as a go-between. He didn’t have the same political experience or sense of authority as Shiro or Allura, but his aptitude for strategy and affable presence made him a constant in diplomatic circles. And, while he still wasn’t quite on Keith’s level when it came to combat or flying, he made for a much better teacher than the still hot-headed black paladin.

Thus Lance became the middleman for the larger war effort, growing closer to the rest of the paladins in a few short weeks than he had since first leaving Earth. He gained respect from Shiro and Allura, and renewed friendship from Hunk and Pidge, but with Keith, well. Lance wasn’t quite sure what he had gotten from Keith.

On the surface, they seemed to have moved beyond any trace of the petty bickering that had defined the beginning of their journey as paladins. They bantered playfully while demonstrating flight techniques to Earth pilots. They had long discussions on trips back and forth through the stars protecting cargo. They were so in sync during their sparring demonstrations that their pupils wondered if their fights were choreographed beforehand.

Yet there still existed this current between them, this constant force pushing and pulling so that it felt as though their relationship rested upon a knife’s edge, ready at any moment to tip towards the unknown. Lance didn’t know where he and Keith were headed and it exhilarated him as much as it terrified him. It was a conversation with Shiro’s newly re-fiancéd fiancé, of all things, that revealed to Lance just which way he wanted to tip from that blade.

It had been a shock to everyone on the team, except for Keith, to learn about Adam, but now he was a constant in the paladins’ lives. Wherever Shiro was, Adam was by his side, and this was truer than ever after their most recent gathering with all the war effort’s major players. It was one of the rare meetings where all of Voltron was present, and it had gone better than most. With news that Earth’s planned defenses were at over 50% completion, and the many parties present easily agreeing to continue with their current plan of action, they were able to wrap up after a mere 15 minutes.

With everyone in good spirits and, for once, a couple of spare hours on their hands, the paladins decided to take a short flight to the nearest beach. It was dark by the time they arrived, but that was nothing that a simple bonfire couldn’t fix. They all started by the fire together, but then Allura and Coran broke off with Hunk and Pidge to learn the finer points of sandcastle architecture, while Shiro and Keith moved to spar playfully along the ocean’s edge, clearly grateful to spend some much needed time together.

Lance watched fondly from his spot beside the warm, crackling flames. He knew Keith missed his brother when he was off planet, and he let himself become mesmerized by the two paladins’ fierce, yet graceful, display. Lance startled upon hearing a low chuckle beside him, and turned to see Adam looking at Shiro and Keith with the same fond expression he knew must be mirrored on his own face.

“They’ve always been like this, you know,” said Adam, absently adjusting his glasses before wrapping his arms around his knees.

“Even back before…before all this, Takashi would just. Go take Keith off on a hoverbike ride over a cliff or something. For fun. Reckless fools, the both of them.”

Lance snorts at that, thinking back to their wild escape from the Garrison after rescuing Shiro.

“Yeah. I think I know what you mean.”

Adam lets out a soft sigh, “It’s what I love most about him, but it’s also what’s given me most of my gray hairs. Takashi has such a big heart and I guess I can’t fault him for that, even if it means he keeps going off to save the universe or whatever.”

“For what it’s worth,” begins Lance, “I don’t think Shiro’s going to go anywhere you can’t go with him. I haven’t gotten to spend much time with him lately, with all that’s going on, but it doesn’t take much to see that he’s happiest when he’s with you.”

Adam’s face lifts into a contented smile, and he studies Lance for a moment.

“You all really grew up, out there.”

When Lance looks a little puzzled at this, Adam continues, “I know you were never in any of my classes, but I remember Takashi talking about you and Hunk when he was your instructor. I remember seeing your scores improve more and more, seeing your name on the fighter class list after Keith got expelled. Don’t take this the wrong way but, to be honest, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of you. Lance Álvarez, the outgoing loudmouth who worked harder than anyone else, but somehow managed to keep undermining his own success.”

“Yeah that’s actually a pretty fair assessment,” Lance admits.

“I’ve always been competitive, and I scored so well on the aptitude tests that I went into the Garrison thinking it would be a cake walk. It was really frustrating to see kids like Keith excel, like, effortlessly, while I struggled just to make it to the next semester. I was always just 5 points off his highest score, a couple seconds slower than his fastest sim time. I got so fixated on just trying to beat Keith that it turned into this weird one-sided rivalry. I made it…really hard for us to get along, once we both became paladins.”

“I never would’ve guessed, based on the way the two of you work together now,” says Adam. “The funny thing is, the way you describe it really doesn’t sound too far off from how Takashi and I were when we first met.”

This makes Lance turn to Adam in surprise. Adam gives a slight smirk before continuing.

“Before we were instructors, Takashi and I were the best damn pilot team at the Garrison.” He says with a sharp grin. “But even before that, we were just two hotheads who only saw how the other outdid him. Takashi was a flying prodigy, and I was always envious of just how much better he was than anyone else. Wanting to gain the upper hand, I would actually sneak into the simulator after curfew to study footage of his flights, hoping I could replicate them. What I didn’t know was that Takashi also had a habit of forbidden after-hours sim runs. He caught me watching his tapes one night. I was mortified, especially when the first words out of his mouth were an offer to tutor me. But what I didn’t know was, while I was jealous of his flying ability, he was jealous of my test scores. It turned out that, while he excelled in the sky, Takashi was close to failing his more practical classes. He saw me ace every physics test, get complimented by the same instructors that lamented his abysmal math skills, and just wanted to be like me. After offering to tutor me in flying, Takashi asked if I could help him out with his other classes in exchange and, well. The rest is history.”

Adam laughs then. “We put so much energy into trying to beat each other when we could’ve been working together, a better team than anyone could ever imagine. But when I look at how you and Keith work together. Well. You just might give Takashi and I a run for our money.”

Normally, being compared to his hero would’ve been the absolute highlight of any of Lance’s conversations. But now all he can think about is Keith. He thinks about his first mission with Keith, somehow fitting together like clockwork despite barely being able to carry on a civil conversation. He thinks about Keith looking to him, confiding in him when all of a sudden Shiro was gone and Keith had to be their leader. He thinks about Keith’s surprise when he showed him his new sword, Keith’s joy when they spar, Keith’s laughter when he pulls off a tough flying maneuver, Keith’s steady and constant presence in his life now, and Lance feels his world shift.

Not too long ago, Lance thought he was in love with Allura. She turned him down gently after months of Lance pining, but the letdown felt more like freedom than heartache. Now he sees his feelings for what they were: infatuation. Because now, when all he can think about is flying and fighting and laughing and simply being with Keith, holding on to him and never letting go, Lance knows what love is. The revelation leaves him breathless, and his gaze is glued to where Keith continues to dance viciously, beautifully, alongside the softly breaking waves. He starts laughing at the absurdity of it all, and in the back of his mind wonders if his so-called rivalry with Keith may have partially stemmed from an unrealized crush.

Adam speaks up, bringing Lance back to the conversation at hand. “I’m not kidding. I mean it. The two of you are just as good as Takashi and I ever were, and I’m sure you’ll only get better.”

Lance smiles. “Oh, no it’s not that, though, thank you. Really. It’s. Well.”

He looks down to where his feet have absently burrowed into the cool sand, a soft blush creeping across his cheeks, before he continues.

“What you and Shiro have, the way you’re together. I think I just realized I want that with Keith.”

After a short pause, Lance feels a warm hand rest upon his shoulder, and looks up to see Adam gazing at him fondly.

“Thank you for telling me. For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t be surprised if Keith felt the same way about you.”

Lance sucks in a breath at this, turning to look toward the water only to see Keith and Shiro making their way back over to the bonfire. His eyes meet Keith’s, and for a moment they just stare at each other, warmth blooming lazily in Lance’s chest. Then Shiro grabs Keith, giving a makeshift noogie with his chin, and Lance can’t help but laugh at the look on Keith’s face.

Momentarily distracted, the brothers pause to play wrestle in the sand. Adam leans over to Lance and whispers, “Do you think you’ll tell him how you feel?”

Lance watches as Shiro pulls Keith up with a grin, chuckles when Keith shakes the sand from his hair all over an indignant Shiro. And he can’t imagine his world without Keith by his side. He knows now which way he wants to fall off that knife, that no matter what happens from here, no matter how much longer the war will last, how exhausted or hurt or stressed he is, how much pain he has yet to endure, it will all be worth it if Keith is there with him.

Lance spends another moment watching Keith, beautiful, stubborn, infuriating, amazing Keith, before responding.

“Yeah, I think I will.”

**Author's Note:**

> The reveal of Shiro and Adam's relationship at SDCC made me so happy and inspired this fic! It's the first one I've ever posted, and it felt really nice to push myself out of my comfort zone by actually writing something.
> 
> Thank you to @bleulily and @loulola for beta reading!
> 
> Posted to tumblr here: https://shedoras.tumblr.com/post/176203755315/what-makes-a-team-great
> 
> Posted to twitter here: https://twitter.com/shedoras/status/1021487226377654274


End file.
